


The People Who Love(d) Dark Ones Club

by walkawayfromemptygold



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Belle Regina friendship, Other, Swan Queen - Freeform, The Dark One (Once Upon a Time), not Rumbelle, s5
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-19
Updated: 2015-10-19
Packaged: 2018-04-27 01:19:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 647
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5028136
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/walkawayfromemptygold/pseuds/walkawayfromemptygold
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Inspired by the line "It’s far easier to hate a Dark One than it is to love one."<br/>Belle talks to Regina to let her know she's not alone, Belle loved a Dark One once too.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The People Who Love(d) Dark Ones Club

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own anything and I actually haven't started watching s5 yet

 

“Regina,” Belle calls, as she spots the mayor behind one of the hedges in her yard. She had hoped to speak with her.

She can see a flash of the person the former queen used to be, and Belle reminds herself that was lifetimes ago and former sins haven’t been counted in a while. Things are different now.

Like the fact that she doesn’t know where Rumple is, doesn’t pretend to know. She’s living in her library apartment nowadays. If the man who is still her husband is living in the house he bought before she came along, it’s fine. She’s not going to go investigate. If he seeks her out, she’ll listen to what he says, but she’s not going to seek him out. He’s not the Dark One anymore. Emma is. Belle can see that it’s wrecking Regina.

There’s hairline fractures in that dark armor Regina wears all the time, Belle can tell. It’s not because she looks for weaknesses in Regina, or that she’s stared too long. She recognizes the fractures in Regina’s armor because she knew how it looked and felt when they began to appear in hers.

* * *

 

“Is there something you need, Belle?” Regina asks. Her words sound like they’re from years ago. There’s that rough edge to them again. It’s like Emma never even existed, like she never impacted Regina in ways Belle can’t even comprehend.

“Actually, there is,” Belle answers, hoping the older woman will hear her out.

“What is it?” The mayor asks tiredly. Henry’s with David and Snow, she doesn’t have to pretend to be strong for him. She can barely muster the strength to pretend to be irritated at Belle. She’s not angry. She’s just tired and hurt. She won’t admit to the latter if anyone asks, not even Henry. Especially if Henry asks; she’ll give him a smile and tell him not to worry.

“I know what it’s like to love a Dark One,” Belle begins. Regina is about to deny her feelings for Emma, Belle knows and can see it.

“I know you love Emma. I must admit, it’s quite a bit easier just to hate a Dark One. But the Emma you know is in there. She’s scared and alone right now and she’s dealing with everything being intense. She may be the Dark One, but she’s still Emma. She’s still the woman you love. She is worth fighting for and there is hope. I’m here for you, I want you to know that,” Belle tells her and Regina looks almost vulnerable for a moment. But Belle can still see the armor, and she almost lets out a breath of relief. She’s here for Regina, to listen, to talk, or just to help mend her armor. She just hopes Regina’s armor doesn’t break. Belle’s not sure she can pick up all the pieces of it, she doesn’t think Regina would let her help. But this, she can help with.

* * *

 

“Have a good day, Regina,” She says, as a minute passes and she turns to leave. She didn’t really expect to make it this far, she thought Regina would deny her feelings for Emma and shut the conversation down. She’s taken a few steps before she hears Regina speak again, and she turns around when she does.

“Hey Belle,” She doesn’t want Belle to leave just yet so she tries to think of something to say.

“I bet we’re the only two people alive who have loved Dark Ones. Maybe we should form a club, The People Who Loved Dark Ones or something.” Regina jokes, but there’s a little bit of seriousness mixed in.

Belle nods for a second and then replies.

“I’m free on Tuesdays.” She offers, and she sees Regina smile for the first time in a few weeks.

“Sounds like a plan.” The dark haired woman says and Belle smiles back.

* * *

 finis

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
